Chapter 33

"I'm not arm wrestling with you. What if both my arms break? When you're not home, I'm perfectly fine. But look at me now, I'm practically falling apart since you've been back. If you keep this up, we might as well consider divorce. I don't want to meet my maker because of you."

Arm wrestling? Is he trying to go armless?

"I swear, I won't lay a finger on you, not until you're healed. For Pete's sake, we've just started our good days together. Don't check out on me. I can't find anyone as amazing as you."

William was scared out of his wits. Not because of the divorce talk, but seeing Brian in such pain. He had been injured before and knew how it felt. Brian's pale face and rapidly swelling wrist were downright horrifying, and William was the one to blame.

"Let me take a look, I promise I won't hurt you."

He carefully unbuttoned Brian's pajamas and helped him take it off. Kneeling beside him, he examined his right arm.

His forearm was wrapped in gauze, and above the elbow, it was visibly swollen. He gently touched his elbow and moved it a bit. The shoulder seemed fine, though it hurt a little when he twisted it.

"Are you sure you don't need a cast?"

"The doctor gave me meds. A cast would be too inconvenient, so let's leave it like this."

It wasn't broken, just a severe sprain. No cast, just meds for the injury.

Brian didn't dare move his right arm. As he reached for his pajamas with his left hand, William noticed scars on his upper arm.

There were several scars, as if something had scratched him. He gently touched them, recalling what Theodore had told him about Brian stabbing himself with a bottle to stay alert.

"Someone did this to you, didn't they? Who was it?"

"They're already behind bars."

"Next time something like this happens, fight back with all you've got. No, wait, I should be there to protect you. Some jerks just don't know who they're messing with."

"This happened when I first took over the company. No one dares to mess with me now. And I can't rely on you for protection. By the time you get around to it, the grass on my grave would be taller than you."

Brian didn't want to talk about it anymore. He awkwardly reached for his pajamas with one hand, and William hurried to help him put it on and button it up.

As he tidied up the papers on the bed, Brian lifted the blanket and got in.

"I've been such a jerk. You needed me, and I was never there. I never gave you support or protection. You stopped relying on me because I let you down. I never considered your feelings. I just did whatever I wanted, and if you disagreed, we fought."

William hung his head, realizing his mistakes for the first time.

It wasn't that Brian had a bad temper; William was the one who always started the fights, never considering Brian's feelings.

If he had thought about Brian's sensitive stomach, he wouldn't have cooked weird food.

If he had realized that Brian wasn't as strong as a weightlifter, he wouldn't have hurt his wrist. If he had been more careful with Brian's injured hand, he wouldn't have almost hurt him again.

"I want to be good to you, but I keep screwing up. If I'm away on a mission and you're in danger, I can't protect you. I know you could find someone better than me after a divorce, someone who would be devoted to you. But I don't want a divorce. I've missed out on so much with you, and I want to make it right. I just don't know why I always end up ticking you off."

He really couldn't figure it out. It was driving him nuts. He genuinely wanted to be good to Brian, but he kept messing up.

"William, I'm a man, not a damsel in distress. I don't need protection or someone to lean on. All I want is for you to remember to come home after your missions. To have me in your heart. I can handle everything else."

No matter how hard or lonely it gets, whether it's taking care of family or handling company issues, it doesn't matter. As long as William remembers to come home, knowing that someone is waiting for him, that's enough.

Brian looked relieved.

"You're the silly one. If you keep acting tough, I'll worry less and be around even less."

"Then let's divorce, sooner rather than later."

"I'm not doing it. I won't let my better half become someone else's. I'm keeping you all to myself."

He got into bed. Since he couldn't cuddle Brian, he held onto his left arm tightly. Anyone who dared to lay eyes on his better half would face his wrath.

"Since I can't be with you all the time, I'll teach you some martial arts so you can defend yourself."

"I've been learning Taekwondo since I was a teenager."

"You might win one-on-one, but what if they gang up on you? Never mind, I'll figure something out."

"Stop holding my arm, I need to turn over."

"I'm holding it just in case you turn to the right and hurt yourself more."

"Back off, stop breathing in my ear."

"Such a fuss. Sleep, you won't know anything once you're asleep. Hit the hay."

"No snoring."

"Can't do this, can't do that. What a hassle just to sleep."

So fussy, with all these restrictions. The blanket was rustling as he moved around, and suddenly a piece of clothing was thrown out.

"Keep your underwear on!"

Brian saw what was thrown out and his face turned red as he shouted at him.

"I'm used to sleeping in the buff. You should try it."

He reached over to strip Brian.

"Marital rape is illegal. Move again and I'll have my team of lawyers sue you."

Brian didn't move, casually throwing out a reason.

"Even more reason for divorce, marital rape, really?"

Fine, let's sleep. Any more fuss and his hand will hurt more.

"Turn around, don't face me, and put your underwear back on!"

The blanket didn't move.

"Stop playing possum, there's no way you fell asleep in one minute."

William started snoring. Not just asleep, but deeply asleep. Even a kick didn't wake him.

"Jerk."

Even before sleep, he manages to be infuriating. How did he end up with this jerk?

He kicked him in the butt.

William just rubbed his butt and continued snoring with a pillow in his arms.